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Simple English definitions for legal terms
impleader
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A quick definition of impleader:
Impleader is a way to bring in another person to a lawsuit. This person is called a third-party defendant. The goal is to make them responsible for some or all of the defendant's liability, so there doesn't have to be more than one lawsuit. The defendant can ask to bring in the third-party defendant if they might be responsible for what the plaintiff is claiming against the defendant. The third-party defendant's involvement must be related to the same thing the plaintiff is claiming against the defendant.
A more thorough explanation:
Impleader is a legal process used in civil litigation where a defendant or third-party defendant brings in another party, known as a third-party defendant, to the case. The purpose of impleader is to shift some or all of the defendant's liability to the third-party defendant and avoid multiple lawsuits over the same issue.
For example, if a person is sued for a car accident, they may use impleader to bring in the car manufacturer as a third-party defendant, claiming that the accident was caused by a defect in the car. This allows the defendant to shift some or all of the liability to the car manufacturer.
Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 14, a defendant may file a motion to implead a third-party defendant if that party may be liable for all or part of the plaintiff's claim against the defendant. The third-party complaint must assert a claim against the third-party defendant that arises out of the same transaction or occurrence that is the subject of the plaintiff's claim against the defendant.
Overall, impleader is a useful tool for defendants to shift liability and avoid multiple lawsuits over the same issue.